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The Latin root words of angiogenesis are angio and genesis. Angio means blood vessel while the word genesis means to make. Literally, it denotes to make blood vessel. The meaning of angiogenesis as used in a scientific or in a medical context is, “sprouting and ex tension of existing blood vessels.”

How cancer start

Cancer begins when a cell mutates through a change in its genetic structure. Then through replication, it grows and develops into a tumor mass. When this mass of cells reaches 2 millimeters, the size of a head pin, it doesn’t have the capacity to grow any further. This tiny tumor can’t be clinically seen or easily discerned. The microscopic tumor doesn’t produce any symptoms too.

Cancer from harmless to harmful

This minuscule clump of cancer cells looks innocent. It seems headed for extinction. But the cunning cancer cells have a way to survive the bleakest of environments. These cancer cells cleverly take control of your blood vessels through the process of angiogenesis. They possess pro-angiogenic factors that are inherently part of their make-up. At the same time, they inhibit anti-angiogenic factors – factors that restrain the growth of blood vessels.
Subsequently, the cancer cells signal the endothelial cells – the basic unit of blood vessels – to grow towards where they are. By this means, blood vessels grow into the mass of growing cancer cells providing them with the essential nutrients and oxygen for their growth and survival. This process strengthens and prepares them for the next phase of invasion of tissues and organs.

Metastasis development

Inevitably, this network of blood vessels opens the door to metastasis. Blood vessels transport cancerous cells to other remote organs of the body. There, they start a life of their own wreaking havoc to these organs.
Angiogenesis is a crucial step in cancer evolution and vital in cancer research. Methods to trace these tiny cancer masses and eradicate them before angiogenesis can nip cancer at the bud. Starving these aberrant cancer cells of nutrients and oxygen supply before angiogenesis is a key to treating cancer. I have hope that one day this would be an easy process.

Bottom line

there are a few functional foods that attack cancer angiogenesis. Green tea, small berries like blueberries and cranberries and the spice turmeric to name a few. Add at less 30 minutes of exercises a day with the 5 to 10 fruits and vegetables and we are in good shape to fight back at cancer